privacy

It wasn't all that long ago that former NSA contract employee Edward Snowden was making news accusing the US government of accessing the web servers of some of the biggest internet services for the purpose of data mining, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was becoming a cult hero for exposing government secrets.

Right now there are many arguments over net neutrality that stir up privacy issues into the mix, but they are another area in the fight to control the internet.

Recruiters research prospective candidates on social networking sites as part of pre-hire screening. Social media users have not all learned that the delete key is an illusion. The curse of the digital age is once information is accessed on the internet and passed on to others, there is no way to take it back.

Over at the Guru 42 Universe we talk about the great power comes great responsibility of the internet and the brave new online world. In spite of the fact that their use is increasing everyday, there is a growing distrust of social networking sites. Privacy and personal security concerns become hot topics as websites gather personal information for profiling users to enable advertisers to target them more productively. Ethical and legal concerns are raised as websites make money by selling our digital footprints.

The organizations trying to keep us free make comparisons of our current world to George Orwell's dystopian society where citizens are constantly reminded that "Big Brother is watching you."

The freedom fighters who just want to be left alone don't want the government controlling the internet, and giving big brother the right to watch us.

Two bits of news this week has me thinking about internet security.

This week Defense Secretary Ashton Carter disclosed that Russian hackers breached one of the Defense Department’s unclassified computer networks earlier this year. Perhaps a flair for the dramatic using the Russia hacking the Pentagon disclosure during a meeting to unveil a new DOD security policy. And was it a coincidence for that DOD policy meeting to be at the same time a new Cybersecurity bill was being voted on?

Interestingly, many technology websites are referring to the "controversial cybersecurity bill" this week in the US House. Usually the term controversial would also indicate a political battle along party lines. But the Protecting Cyber Networks Act was passed in the US House with support from both political parties as a majority of Democrats as well as Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

I see battle-lines being drawn, and I am trying to determine, who is doing the fighting.

Questy's Thoughts

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